In Which Tsuna Is Everyone and Everything
by Torashii
Summary: Or, All the AUs. Drabble series, featuring Dragon AU, Time Travel AU and more.
1. Time Travel AU

**AN:** Hello! It's been ages. I thought, because I have so many ideas that I like, but cba to write into ongoing, multi chapter stories, I have have a series of drabbles instead. Here is the very fun Time Travel AU. Or, in which Tsuna is Giotto's bastard child.

* * *

Vongola Decimo or 'Neo Vongola Primo' as he was often referred to behind his back, had to deal with many, many things as part of his legacy of being Primo's heir. Constant comparisons were made between the first and latest bosses – in appearance, fighting style, demeanour or guardians; the latter was generally described as some sort of 'second coming' of the first boss of Vongola. Ushering in an era of peace and prosperity, more 'vigilante' than 'mafia'.

It seemed as if the first and tenth generation of Vongola would always be interlinked, mirror images of each other, bound by an odd sort of fate.

So when Spanner's and Shoichi's research into Primo's era blew up on him – and the Vongola boss couldn't wait until Giannini stopped making such disastrous mistakes –Tsuna felt a weird sense of inevitability as he hurled through time once more.

He landed harshly upon familiar marble flooring, and at first glance he could tell that the Mansion that he had come to know as home suddenly lacked the feeling of antiquity that it had not even a moment ago. Hell, even the Italian that broke out at his arrival was had the archaic quality that Tsuna had only ever found in Basil's formal demeanour.

It wasn't until a snippet of the actual conversations caught his ear that Tsuna felt a very strong, foreboding chill.

There was a muttered, "Giotto?"

"He looks like Boss' cousin."

"Idiot, Giotto was blonde."

"A son? Do you think he's here to fight for the leadership?"

And all of a sudden, the atmosphere plummeted. _Oh no, please no._

Glancing up fearfully, Tsuna's gaze went straight past the group of agitated Mafioso to be caught the glare of dark, red eyes.

 _I hate my life._

Looking astonishingly alike to Xanxus – albeit older and without scars – lay Vongola Secondo in all his terrible glory. By the faint glow and shimmer in the air, he was mere moments away from summoning his fabled flames of Wrath.

 _Dear god,_ Tsuna pleaded. _Kill me now._

And so the voice of the devil spoke.

"And who are you?"

Tsuna could even hear the implied _scum_ that graced the end of the sentence.

 _Giannini was dead, so, so dead._


	2. Dragon AU

Dragon AU. Or, in which Tsuna has absolutely no understanding of human norms. Might get a sequel or two.

* * *

The human was leaking.

Humans did odd things all the time, silly creatures that they were, but Tsunayoshi was fairly sure that even they knew water was for drinking, and not for spilling out of their eyes.

He'd seen it happen before of course, but not from this close up. Maybe it was a good thing then, that the human was leaking, because he never managed to sneak up on one for this long without being caught. Even if he wasn't the largest of dragons, his scales shone a brilliant amber, something that Tsunayoshi took much pride in, despite it leaving him very conspicuous.

Still, the human continued to leak, making a number of odd little wails as it did so. Its eyes went red, and Tsuna thought that possibly it wasn't breathing properly. Maybe it was broken? Slowly, he crept out from behind the trees to check.

Oh. Well now it was looking at him funny.

"What's wrong, little human?"

Tsunayoshi was secretly smug as how majestic he sounded. Though he was a young dragon, he knew all about the stories of how the humans had respected his kind. It wouldn't do for him to ruin all his ancestor's work by being discourteous.

"Kami-sama." It spoke with a very breathy voice, and Tsunayoshi was definitely sure it was broken. Alas, what was wrong with it? (He was very sure the name of Dragons hadn't changed to 'Kami-sama' either. Poor, deluded human. It must really be broken.)

Again, Tsunayoshi repeated his question, and this time it seemed to hear him. The Dragon hoped that its ears weren't malfunctioning either. It was a wonder that humans survived so long, if they were so prone to malfunctioning.

"My baby... my Tsu-kun." It started to leak again. "I lost him!"

Tsunayoshi didn't exactly know what a 'Tsu-kun' was, but with a little more prompting, he came to the conclusion that her egg was laid cold, and would never hatch.

There was nothing more precious to a dragon than their young. Tsuna himself still counted as a child, but he too treasured children just as the rest of his kind once did. He was sure than this human, though she had to ability to procreate again, treasured her unhatched egg in the same way any nesting mother would have.

"Very well. I cannot bring back your hatchling, but I can attempt to sooth the hole in your heart."

And with that, Tsuna grasped the dragon magic that lay within his core and yanked. Almost immediately, he began to both shrink and glow. A few moments later, where there once was a majestic dragon instead lay a child a little way into toddlerhood. With ridiculously fluffy hair, soft chubby cheeks and wide brown eyes, the once-dragon looked at the astonished human and smiled.

"Hey? Can you be my new mama?"


	3. Arthurian AU

Arthurian AU. Or in which Tsuna touches magical artefacts that he really, really shouldn't.

* * *

Tsuna honest to god didn't mean to. Really, the sword was just _there_ , awfully convenient for a passing adventurer on the run from some bandits.

He should have stayed home and become a carpenter instead.

Glancing down at the sword in his hand, Tsuna couldn't really see how it was Arthur's Excalibur. The silver was clean, though not very shiny, the handle wrapped in sturdy but well worn leather and the most notable part of the otherwise very underwhelming sword was a small, amber stone set inconspicuously in the hilt. The brunet grimaced. For such a plain looking thing, it sure as hell brought him a lot of trouble.

Maybe this could have been avoided if the sword was made of pure gold with a very large sign proclaiming ' _danger, danger! Do not touch.'_ He would have hightailed it out of there, cornered by bandits or not. Let one of _them_ become the sudden heir to the throne.

Glancing around surreptitiously, Tsuna quickly confirmed there were no nearby guards before slipping into the nearby inn.

The few weeks after he pulled out the fabled sword from the stone were some of the more stressful of Tsuna's life. He hadn't wanted the title, and after the trouble it had caused him, he really didn't want the sword either. Yet no matter how many times he abandoned it, the blasted thing showed up out of nowhere, floating majestically in front of him as if it would grace him with the crown that very moment. Three times, this happened in public before Tsuna learnt to simply carry the god forsaken object with him or be forced to flee a town, _yet again_.

If that hadn't been bad enough, those horrible, nasty bandits that had cornered him – while weaponless, no less – in the first place, decided to run their bloody mouths that _someone_ had finally freed the King's sword from its prison and was set to inherit the throne. His description had been given in excruciating detail – down to the small mole he had next to the corner of his left eye – and so Tsuna's days of avoiding responsibility began.

The inn was just shy of being full – and though maybe a tad too crowded for his liking, Tsuna found it much easier to blend in within a crowd than by himself. A lone, hooded stranger in the middle of nowhere was a curiosity, but a weary traveller aiming to stay the night was simply one of many customers that would grace a particular inn.

Tsuna had just gotten the key to his room, and was turning to leave before another body bumped into him, and the young adventurer stumbled back into the counter he had just come from. Looking up, Tsuna was about the apologise, before familiar features stayed his tongue.

"You!" Tsuna burst out, his eyes wide at one of the bandits who originally attacked him.

Green eyes widened as the bandit caught sight of who exactly he'd bumped into. Next thing he knew, Tsuna was on the receiving end of a very deep bow.

"I apologise, your Majesty!" The bandit's voice was loud, and it carried. A few people looked over. Tsuna, understandably, panicked.

"Hey, get up! Get up!" Glancing around frantically, Tsuna was at loss as what to do with the still prostrate bandit who was now spewing apologies in a loud, frantic voice.

"What are you _doing_?" The brunet hissed. "Stop it!"

"I cannot!" The bandit declared, green eyes glazing, even from his position on the floor. "I have attacked his Majesty, and my life is forfeit." And with that, he went back to banging his head upon the floor.

Murmurs sprouted up around him.

"Did he say Majesty?"

"You don't think it's him?"

"He has a hood up and all."

Feeling the situation deteriorating, Tsuna did the only thing he could. He ran.

Getting through the crowd was not easy, and more than once did people jump in his way. Both his sword and rucksack were lost in the fray, and it was only by sheer, dumb luck that his hood remained upright.

After a frantic and quite frankly, terrifying, chase through the Inn, Tsuna finally burst through the exit, the sweet taste of freedom upon his tongue–

And bumped into someone.

At the speed he was going, Tsuna crashed into the other body with a loud _oof_ before landing harshly upon the floor. Immediately, he scrambled to his feet in preparation to flee once more, only for his arm to be caught in a strong, unforgiving grip.

Swallowing a cry of despair, Tsuna looked up at his captor and promptly became lost in black, _black_ eyes.

Reborn, the head of the Magician's court and advisor to the Regent King smirked.

Tsuna tried very hard not to cry.

"Well, well, _well_ ," the number one Mage in the entire kingdom practically _purred._ "What do we have here? Not the newfound Heir to the Throne, is it?"

Tsuna laughed, his voice high and more than a little panicked. "O-of course not."

Reborn raised a brow. "No?"

"No, no." The brunet rambled. "I'm just a travelling carpenter, you see! I, uhm, left my tools in the forest."

"Really." Reborn's voice was flat.

Tsuna nodded frantically.

As if to spite him, the _godforsaken_ sword that had gotten him into this mess in the first place decided to show up at that very moment in a telltale flash of light.

Reborn looked between the sword floating in front of Tsuna – as if waiting to be picked up and wielded – to the comical look of despair on the brunet's face.

"This wouldn't happen to be that tool you left behind, would it? Looks awfully like a sword for carpentry."

Tsuna _eeped_ , and hurriedly grabbed the sword from the air. With dread in his stomach, he glanced at Reborn, only to see an unbearably smug expression on the Mage's face, and eyes that promised horrors untold.

And with that, Tsuna was forcefully dragged up to the King's castle, leaving behind one last cry for aid.

" _Help me–!"_


	4. Vendice AU part 1

I'm gonna call this xAU part 1. Not how I imagined it going but eh.

* * *

Tsuna for all his academic failings was not, in fact, an idiot. While he never would get a perfect score of any math test, he was well versed in the many intricacies of both society and social hierarchy. How could he live with daily reminders of his own social standing and still survive if he wasn't accurately able to predict who would decide to do what to him, or why, or what he did to induce that, or even what he could do to prevent anything untoward from happening to him? Tsuna's life was on a close edge that could go from being bullied to outright being tortured by his peers, and it was primarily by his own efforts that nothing ever became worse than what they already were.

So when Reborn arrived, bringing alongside with him an entire new society to deal with, Tsuna fell into panic. He was ill-equipped to suddenly deal with the Mafia and all the rapid changes it was making in his life. How was he supposed to know a fight could lead to subservience? (And he spent an entire in complete an utter fear of being beaten while he was obviously weaker than his Mafia peers. Though Gokudera was likely grateful for Tsuna's efforts in preserving his life, he was _too_ respectful for it to be normal. Every now and then a flash of caution was grace the bomber's features when he was invited to be in any sort of informal setting, and that behaviour told Tsuna a lot more about what he could potentially do – without repercussions – to his storm, simply over one altercation.) Though surely Reborn would never let the heir of Vongola be led by anyone not of his choosing – which is to say, nobody but himself – Tsuna would not and could not let himself rely entirely upon the dubious good graces of another.

By the time that his panic faded, Tsuna realised with a sickening lurch that Reborn had effectively trapped him in the same way he'd been trapped in the role of 'Useless Tsuna' for years.

Any and all information about the Mafia – of which he was given little of regardless – was carefully spoon fed to him by reborn. All the members of the Mafia that he was in contact with were either useless –like Lambo, who couldn't even help himself – loyal to Reborn – as was Bianchi – Vongola, which was Dino, or too afraid to speak to him on normal terms, which had Gokudera covered. Shamal equally was of little to no help, being of tenuous loyalty to both Reborn and Vongola and with little incentive to help him anyway. It meant that the only things Tsuna could safely do were things that Reborn, and by extension, Vongola, wanted him to do – and only things that would further trap him into the role of Decimo. Tsuna's everyday life was so filled up with inane tasks of homework and training and being jerked around by Reborn that even if Tsuna wanted to find some escape from his role, he was would no time to research or plan such an attempt. Not to mention, the lack of privacy. Reborn watched over him twenty-four-seven. Whenever he wasn't at school, he was being dictated by Reborn, and even when he was at school the infant had ways of spying upon him. It would be impossible to escape both the arcobaleno's distant watch and the scrutiny of every other person in Namimori Middle, or the direct attention of the home tutor otherwise. Reborn even slept in the same room, giving Tsuna absolutely no time to himself and any potential means of escaping the long reach of the Vongola.

Useless Tsuna wasn't supposed to be forever. Middle school would eventually, and there were a number of High schools, both near and far he could choose a for a new start, even if it meant getting up ridiculously early to commute by train. Even then, University proceeded that, or getting a job. Namimori was barely a blip on the map in Japan, and while he was tied to it, and by extension, his reputation, for now, Tsuna had always known it wouldn't have been forever.

But the Mafia? Vongola Decimo? That was a disturbingly permanent. It was easy to see that you didn't just enter the Mafia to leave as you please – and Tsuna despaired over the fact that he was, at least, that far in that leaving would be impossible. It was even easier to see that the Vongola leadership was a job that you only retired from at your funeral.

And Tsuna, Tsuna cast his gaze into the future and imagined being forced into the role of Decimo, and live his life constantly dictated by Reborn, the Vongola and the expectations of the Mafia public in general, and promptly choked of his immediate denial of _no, no, no._ To be stifled in such a way, pigeonholed into a role that required him to do everything he hated, constantly controlled by other people, with no escape other than death. It sounded like the perfect version of hell to the young brunet.

He needed an out.

He needed a plan.

"Hey Reborn, the Mafia has rules, doesn't it?"

The Hitman paused in wiping down his gun to give his student a flat stare. "Of course it does."

"S-so what happens if I do anything wrong? How do I know what I can and can't do?"

A frown marred the young arcobaleno's face. It was easy for Tsuna to affect a look of worry and panic about the possible punishments he could face, and Reborn seems to relax a smidgen.

"What brought this on, anyway?"

A mixture of fright and sheepishness seemingly was failed at being covered up by a nervous smile. "I-it's just that Gokudera-kun–"

Tsuna cut himself off and Reborn nodded, presumably pleased – or at least content- with the answer. He relaxed more, and a wicked smirk crossed his childish face.

"People who break Mafia law are thrown into Vendicare, the Mafia prison."

Tsuna squeaked. "Mafia prison?"

"Hm. It's run by the Vendice, ruthless upholders of the law, both powerful and completely neutral." The Hitman's eyes gleamed. "Not even being Decimo would save you from them, so you better do what I say, Useless Tsuna."

The brunet let out an appropriately pathetic wail of fear, yet underneath it, hope blossomed. Reborn had inadvertently given Tsuna the best possible answer he could ask for. A neutral, untouchable force, which even the Vongola couldn't fight against? Tsuna could almost cry for happiness.

Now, he only needed a little more information of these 'Vendice'.


	5. Superhero AU

The problem was with your father being a famous superhero in charge of a famous superhero organisation was, well- your father being a famous superhero in charge of a famous superhero organisation.

Everything was fine and well if you were saving the day and all that rot, but few people bothered to think about the aftermath, when you've settled down, had a child and realised that _oh shit_ , that was possibly the _worst_ life path you could have _possibly_ taken.

"Oh no," Tsuna bemoaned, voice deadpan. "Whatever shall I do."

And when your name was Sawada Iemitsu, greatest superhero in Italy, with so many targets on your back that the targets had targets, this was especially a bad life decision.

"Shut it brat! Can't you see we're in the middle of- _gurk!_ "

Face impassive, Tsuna watched the grunt go flying, only for his comrades to get knocked out not two seconds after.

"Took your time," Tsuna said, stepping out of some dismal attempt at restraint using cheap rope and sticky tape. "I almost missed dinner."

He didn't get very far before the remaining ropes were ripped off him and sent flying like their unfortunate owner, and Tsuna suddenly found himself surrounded by uncomfortably large and incredibly hard muscles. Sawada Iemitsu, in all his superhero and spandex glory swept his son into a bearhug.

"Oh, my _poor_ Tsuna-fish! _How dare_ those villains try to take you away from me!" Large, dramatic sobs accompanied this greeting, and Tsuna wondered what sort of person he had been in a past life to deserve this.

"Dad, dad stop- oh jeez you're blubbering everywhere- oh, oh lord. Can you, just- _dad!_ "

Large, watery blue eyes bore into him, and Tsuna was certain no man had any business looking like puppy who had just been kicked. He sighed.

"Dad, can you let me down now? I'm fine, promise."

With a watery 'okay', he complied.

The brunet teen took a moment to reorient himself before glancing around at the stereotypical, 'bad guy' villain warehouse he'd been held in for ransom. Being kidnapped on his way to school was hardly pleasant, but it happened so often (it was in fact, an average of three times a month, according to Gokudera), that any excitement about the whole thing had long worn off. Once you saw one abandoned warehouse, really you'd seen them all.

Prodding one of the unconscious grunts with the tip of his shoe, Tsuna was happy to see the place remained structurally sound. No holes in the walls, no holes in the ceiling, and – thank god – no holes in the floor from anyone bursting out in a hail of rubble. When your superhero father had super-strength, it could get a little messy during rescue operations.

"The place isn't so banged up this time." He mused.

Iemitsu grinned, and let out a bellowing laugh. Tsuna tried not to flinch.

"No! I tried to be careful for my Tsuna-fish! It's very nice of your friends to buy up all these places so that nobody would have anywhere to hide you." He gave Tsuna a pat on the back, and the teen had to fight not to buckle under the strength of it.

His first five kidnappings had actually led him to the exact same warehouse, until, in a fit of anger, he asked Hibari to get rid of it. Tsuna hadn't meant for the other boy to buy the land, absolutely demolish the oil building and convert it into a bird reserve, but it had taken the next group a good two weeks longer than usual to kidnap him and hold him somewhere, so Tsuna counted it as a win.

"Thanks dad." Iemitsu's grin turned wider – if that was possible – and Tsuna cut him off before he could go on. They'd be there all day at that rate. "But you didn't need to worry. I'm sure Hibari is already on his way."

"I'll always have time to worry for you, champ!" A beeping noise stopped him from saying more, and Iemitsu glanced down at his Hero Watch with an apologetic expression already gracing his face. "Looks like duty calls, son. You'll be okay from here?"

Tsuna nodded, and Iemitsu was already flying away with a jolly wave and a rushed ' _byeloveyou'_ before the young boy had even finished replying.

"…Yeah." He finally let his eyes roll. "Thanks dad."

Now alone, Tsuna glanced around with a more appraising eye. His back seemed to straighten, his shoulders fill out and his expression sharpened. He started making his way outside, only pausing to kick one of the unconscious grunts out of the way. Honestly, they were a shame to the title 'villain'.

A ringing sound met his ears, and Tsuna had his phone in his hand and open before the find ring was over.

"Hibari."

"Herbivore."

The brunet scoffed. "Don't be like that. I have to let them catch me. We couldn't have a mere-" he sneered "- _sidekick_ beat a bunch of villains, could we?"

Hibari was quiet, but that, for him, was affirmation. He didn't have the same dramatic flair that came naturally to villains, but then Hibari had been shucked into the 'villain' category by virtue of his apathetic, self-serving nature than any outright villainy. It was a shame, given how powerful he was, but Tsuna knew the other boy wasn't suited to the role.

Tsuna on the other hand…

"Oh wait," he grinned, eyes flashing a deep reddish amber, "I think they're waking up."

A deep, disturbed chuckle rang out among the groans of recovering villains, and eyes flashed red as The Crimson Puppeteer finally came out to play.


	6. Alchemist AU

a/n: so its like 4am and I can't sleep which is why we have a random alchemist AU that is basically stolen from FMA but I wrote anyway

* * *

The Law of Conservation of Mass states that energy and matter can neither be created from nothing nor destroyed to the point of elemental nonexistence. In other words, to create an object weighing one kilogram, at least one kilogram of material is necessary. Destroying an object weighing one kilogram would reduce it to a set of parts, the sum of which would weigh one kilogram.

Tsuna wasn't exactly sure what his mother had weighed. That he didn't know had nagged upon his conscious for weeks after her death. What sort of son was he, that he didn't know something so basic about the most important person in his life?

But no. His mother was fairly standard for a Japanese woman, so he could still calculate what he needed. It was fine.

It would be fine.

Water and Carbon first. Ammonia, some Lime, Phosphorous, Salt, and Saltpeter. Smaller amounts of Fluorine, Iron, Silicon, as well trace amounts fifteen other elements.

The Law of Natural Providence states that an object or material made of a particular substance or element can only be transmuted into another object with the same basic makeup and properties of that initial material. In other words, an object or material made mostly of water can only be transmuted into another object with the attributes of water.

It was this law that had Tsuna so worried. Anyone could lump together bits of flesh - but nobody could place a value or equivalent on the intangible soul. Tsuna's father had followed the Old Religion, where people had actually believed each person had their own unique soul flame – one that could resonate with others, but, more importantly, fuel their life.

The brunet scoffed. A mythical flame that just produced energy out of nothing? Ridiculous.

Nothing, not even some obscure belief in a _soul flame_ had helped him save his mother. He had hoped – _prayed_ – for hours on end, day after day for some cure to her illness. He even, at some point, wished for his father to return, but with all his hopes and dreams, with his will so strong it could have _defied death_ –

He failed.

There was no orange jumpsuit in the distance to announce to arrival of his father.

There was no medicine that could alleviate her symptoms.

There was nothing, absolutely _nothing_ , that had saved her from suffering.

Except, in the end, death.

Belief would get nowhere, but science – alchemy – had the answer.

Human transmutation was illegal, Tsuna knew, even as he painstakingly drew the transmutation circle he'd spent countless nights memorizing. It was also, most probably, selfish of him. Even so, his hand did not halt in its path, and neither did he cease drawing the required symbols into the floor of his basement. Slowly but steadily the circle was mapped out, and he kept going, drawing with precision until the chalk reached the tip of his fingers, then getting another one to keep on going.

Because if he didn't have Nana, he had nothing. His father had left years ago. He had no friends, no other family, no aspirations or career or promising future. Nana, at least, wad well liked in the community and well–

If he had to trade his life for hers, then there was absolutely no question about it. He'd make that trade in a heartbeat.

When the circle was done, Tsuna looked over it with a critical eye, scouring for mistakes. He wasn't the best at alchemy – not even second best, really – but he'd gone above and beyond in researching this, doing the calculations over and over with a fervour that he'd never once shown before. There would be no mistakes.

Finally, he pricked his finger, and let a drop of blood fall into the circle. This, he had read, would become her soul.

Silently, he clasped his hands together, as in in prayer, before at last pressing them to the edges of the circle to start the transmutation. The alchemic symbols lit up a bright blue, their glow at first diminished before slowly gaining in strength. Tsuna, encouraged, closed his eyes and pressed harder, trying to give himself more to the circle that would recreate life.

But then–

But then.

But–

–the glow was too strong. Pleasant blue became a harsh, burning white and the peaceful build of energy grew erratic. Tsuna felt like someone had taken a hook to his stomach and yanked. His hands would not move, his eyes could not close and there was a steady whining in his ears that grew louder and louder as the alchemic circle became further and further erratic.

 _Rebound._

When the circle destabilises, and the energy flow frantically tries to correct itself. Often will implode, lead to greater materials taken to make up for the lack or death.

Tsuna's breath caught. He couldn't die; not now, not yet, not before he'd even _saved her_ –

But the ringing in his ears wasn't going away, and he could no longer see for the blinding light of the clashing energies. The noises became louder and louder and louder until–

horror _ohmygod_ pain _whatisthatwhatamiseeing_ fear _itstoomuch_ knowledge

and all at once it had ended. Tsuna fell backwards, scrambling to get away from the circle on stumps instead of hands. Blood made him slip and go sprawling, even as he desperately tried not to retch and instead escape escape _escape_ –

Some creature – that was not his mother _that_ _was not his mother_ – lay groaning in the centre of the circle, already half dead. It could not, by any standard be called human.

An abomination.

Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his sight but not erasing the image burned into his mind. Even as blood loss started to get to him, and the door was kicked down by a livid Hibari Kyoya, and he was dragged out for medical attention. Even when he was already far from the basement in which it had been created –

the image of that _thing_ was burned into the back of Tsuna's eyes.


	7. Hunger Games AU

"I volunteer as Tribute."

That's as least what Tsuna wishes he had said. Maybe then there would have been some dignity to his walk to the stage - a strong proud back and purposeful stride for him family to remember him by. Instead his was the fearful shuffle, half accompanied and half-dragged by armed guards with only a moment to glance around and meet his mother's stricken eyes before she was lost in the crowd and he was taken away to his death.

Maybe if his father was there this wouldn't have happened - his father who appeared quite suddenly in their small district one day with wealth and clean clothes. Who could reason with the Capitol's guards instead of being beaten from the moment he opened his mouth. His father with the strange blond hair and light skin that people only ever saw on _outsiders_. Maybe then Tsuna wouldn't be in this mess, two seconds away from expelling his guts on stage and earning himself one last beating before the glamour of the Capitol's death trap claimed him.

But maybe then some other child would have to die.

Tsuna was less like his father than the townspeople would wish. His skin wasn't nearly so pale - though it was lighter than some - his eyes were a dull brown and his hair only a little lighter than the norm. He was neither blond nor blue eyed and certainly not in possession of the fabled powers of Capitol citizens. They were demons in human clothing, the people said, able to wield flame and fire and burn _whole districts_ to the ground. They were _monsters_ , and that was how they could sacrifice children every year, and go on living happily in their haven while the rest of them worked and starved to death.

Maybe if Tsuna had those so-called powers, he wouldn't be in this mess either.

Tsuna's mentor wasn't invested in him, he could tell. Not just because he thought Tsuna was hopeless - which he was, in all honestly - but because there were no surviving tributes from Tsuna's district, so he had been loaned one from one of the more successful districts. A career tribute, one who probably thought he was doing his district a favour by abandoning Tsuna to death before the games even really started. He had to arrange his own costume, his own campaign and image. He had to ignore the fact that he _tripped_ right up onto the stage in front of the whole of the Capitol, stutter through a series of bland questions and was shooed off to the side for the next, more promising tribute to present themselves. He was certain he wasn't going to have a single sponsor.

And yeah, maybe he cried himself to sleep every night, wishing he was home and able to see his mother's smile one more time. Maybe he was too tired from the night before to display any proper skills for the judges, awake and alone in a strange city full of new sights and sounds and people gawking at him like he was some sort of exotic animal in a cage as opposed to a real, living and breathing human. In the eyes of the Capitol, that wasn't so far off the mark anyway.

It was only in the games, after everyone had darted towards the cornucopia with single minded fervour and Tsuna had run as fast as he possibly could for cover that the reality of it really hit him.

He was going to die.

It was just a simple, all encompassing fact. No more or no less. No 'if's and 'but's or 'maybe's and 'possibly's. It might not be the first night - no, that was the kid from district three; with a plain face and a nice smile, Tsuna stared hard at his image as if to burn it into his mind that _this child was now dead_ \- and maybe Tsuna would also be safe on the second, but the way things were going was that Tsuna would eventually die.

And he didn't want that.

None of the other children wanted to die, Tsuna knew (one of them- one of them was _twelve_ , and Tsuna choked on his tears when he had seen that and desperately sought out the kid, _Lambo_ , and prayed each night that he would be safe. It was probably futile, but Tsuna hadn't seen that young, _so, so young_ face in the death count yet so he'd keep going). Nobody wanted to die. Nobody should _have to_ die. If Tsuna had his way, nobody would die.

Something happened in the games - something Tsuna at the time wouldn't have been able to explain and wouldn't be able for a while after. It was like his resolve solidified and something broke inside him and nothing, _nothing_ would hold him back.

And so the citizen of the Capitol watched in excited befuddlement as the last to place - the most likely to die went on a quest to befriend each and every other competitor.

Lambo, Chrome, Mukuro, Sasagawa, Yamamoto, Gokudera, Hibari. Three tributes were already dead - district three's, four's and eleven's - and the last, district eight's didn't want anything to do with Tsuna. He could accept that, even as he memorised that tribute's face like the memorised the other's. Nobody else would die unacknowledged and carelessly in these death games.

Tsuna would remember that face as he stood over the charred remains of its owner, flames still pouring from his hands and a terrified Lambo just behind him, having been saved from attack.

He would remember all the children's faces, just as the Capitol would remember his when he set the whole filthy place alight.


	8. Twin AU part 1

Everyone knew about the Sawada Twins. Sawada Tsunayoshi and Sawada Yoshimune, though identical, were fairly opposite in reputation. Charismatic and athletic, Yoshimune had a number of both friends and fans. He was polite to everyone and well liked in turn. After transferring in only a short period into the first year of middle school, he was immediately hailed as the 'interesting newcomer', and never gave up the title.

Tsunayoshi on the other hand was fairly secluded, and it was only through his brother's intervention that it didn't become entirely cut off from the rest of the school. He wasn't particularly disliked, but few interacted with him for his stand-offish aura and aloof personality. Most teachers avoided calling upon him for all that he symbolised the school's failings, and many students couldn't overcome their guilt in their original harsh judgement for his perceived lack of ability. After the presence of a learning disability – though really, it was simply ADHD, but the school only had limited classification for these things – became known and was promptly managed as well as it could be, Tsuna's grades rose dramatically and he quickly became the 'unapproachable curiosity' and remained so since.

With such interesting personalities, everyone would say that the Sawada twins were well known, if not both of them necessarily qualifying as popular.

"I want to be Tsunayoshi today."

A brunet snorted, before glancing at his carbon copy. "You're technically always 'Tsunayoshi'."

The aforementioned Tsunayoshi quickly glanced around before hissing, "be quiet! Anyone could be listening."

Rolling his eyes, his mirror image lazily waved a hand. "And what would they hear? That we play each other at school sometimes? That's hardly very noteworthy."

"Yoshi."

Yoshi sighed. "Sure, Tsuna. I'm actually surprised you lasted that long as Mr. Popular."

The second brunet shuddered. "Never again."

"Oi, I don't want to have to play nice all the time."

"Well you should have thought of that before you decided that playing 'Mr. Popular' was the best decision." Tsuna snarked. If he sounded just a _little bit_ bitter about being forced to socialise as 'Yoshimune' for the entire week, Yoshi wouldn't mention it. It was draining to be so perfect all the time, and the lesser mortals could not always handle it.

"Please don't remind me of my failings." Yoshi muttered.

Tsuna sighed and gave his brother a pat on the head. "If you think this is the only failing you have to worry about then I fear for our future."

"Hey!" Yoshi swiped Tsuna's arm away.

"Anyway," Tsuna continued, "I'm Tsuna today, and tomorrow. Maybe for this week."

"No fair." That earned Yoshi a glare, who put his hands up in the universal sign for surrender. "Alright, alright. This week's all yours."

He straightens up then, a small, almost indistinct quirk of body language, and _smiles_. "I hope you have a good day at school, Tsunayoshi." It's like flowers appear in the air around him, some sort of aura that – no matter how physically identical they are – allows for pretty much anyone to tell Sawada Yoshimune and Sawada Tsunayoshi apart.

The mystique of it is somewhat ruined if one is aware, and has to ability to sense, that the aura is a tiny amount of sky flames pulsing in the air around him. Popularity is fickle after all, and Yoshi played for keeps.

"Thanks," Tsuna says, and his voice has gone just that bit flatter. The transformation from regular old Tsuna into the 'Sawada Tsunayoshi' is less noticeable but no less potent.

They get dressed, eat breakfast, and wish their mother goodbye. They don't notice, while walking down the street, that their mother had upon the countertop a very peculiar advertisement for a home tutor.


	9. Dragon AU Part 2

Mel Writer, since u asked so nicely p;

* * *

Humans were odd, there was no doubt about that, but Tsuna had thought he'd become particularly accustomed to their peculiarities, having adopted himself a human mother for the past few years. In human terms, it would have been over a decade ago, but dragons lived long, long lives, and had even longer memories, so to him, it may as well have been yesterday.

But he'd never seen a big human shoved into a little human body before.

"My name is Reborn," the little-big human said. "In reality I am the world's greatest hitman." Why would he hit men, Tsuna couldn't have guessed, but he was always tempted to swipe a paw at some of the more annoying humans, so perhaps he couldn't judge. "I am here to train you into being a Mafia Boss."

He had a familiar, a shape shifter, actually. How lovely! Tsuna hadn't seen one of those in quite a while. The little shapeshifter went from being a tiny cousin-lizard to a metal human object, which was a shame. At least he knew the tongue spoken by the cousin-lizards, but metal objects were beyond him.

Unless it was a shiny metal object, that was.

"What's a mafia?" Tsuna asked, interrupting the little-big human. "Can I eat it?"

The two most important things to a dragon, after family, of course, was food and shiny things. The past decade had provided him with much food he hadn't even had to hunt, and the human world was chock full of wonderful shiny things these days. It was much better than earlier days, where all the human-things were dull and covered in mud.

The little-big human paused for a moment, looked at him funny – as if _he_ was the odd one here. At least Tsuna made his human body around the same age-development as his dragon body. The little-big human was evidently older than he seemed. Maybe he wasn't even a human at all?

"Ah!" Tsuna said, pointing at the -maybe-not-a-human, Reborn. "A Gnome!"

It hit his head for that. Tsuna was quite lucky he was secretly a dragon. The gnome evidently hadn't adjusted his power for frail humans yet. Maybe it had been rude to point, though. His clutch bearer would have been disappointed in his manners.

"Pay attention, stupid Tsuna!" The Gnome Reborn said. "In the mafia, we have the dying will flames–"

Tsuna stopped paying attention. "Flames?" He asked. Oh how marvellous. The humans had flames. It was about time he got something special as a species, even Gnomes had their strength going for them, but humans didn't have any of that. Although he did vaguely remember an older cousin of his doing something weird with the humans a while ago and giving them flames. Did he marry one, or become one? Tsuna couldn't remember.

Ah well, it was special enough, even if the humans didn't come up with it all by themselves. Dragons were a very generous species, majestic as they were, and could grant the humans some of their flames.

"Like this?" Tsuna asked, interrupting the Gnome Reborn for the third time, and lighting up his hand with the dragon flame that sustained his being. It was as easy and natural for him as going to sleep, and dragons slept _a lot_.

"Ah." Tsuna said. "The Gnome fell over." How peculiar.

Being human was pretty interesting, Tsuna thought.


End file.
